The Diner
by N. Marie
Summary: A simple one piece Chlex fic centered around the song, The Diner.


Title: The Diner  
Author: Neeka  
Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: If I owned Smallville, I wouldn't be writing fiction, now would I?  
Notes: This fic was inspired by Ani Difranco's song, The Diner.  
  
  
  
  
*Back and forth. Round and round. Rub, rub, rub.*  
  
Her calloused hands rubbed against the plastic wood. She did this with no caring thought. Her mind elsewhere.  
  
*Over and over. Back and forth. Rub, rub, rub.*  
  
Her finger tips rolled across the edge of the red booth table. The roughness scratched at her skin, but she ignored the feeling, a pain within much deeper. A rather jagged end caught her attention however when she ran her finger across it. A sharp gasp tumbled from her lips and with quick reflexes the wounded finger settled in between her rosy lips. She suckled the finger softly and a glint of gold caught her eyes.  
  
An empty moan errupted from deep within her throat and she pulled her hand away from her face. Bending her ring finger slightly, her other hand moved forward and she wrapped stiff fingers around the band. Slowly she rolled it over in her fingers, the touch hitting a nerve deep in her chest.  
  
*Twirl, twirl, twirl. Whimper. Twirl, twirl, twirl. Whimper.*  
  
"Can I get you something?" She snapped her face away from her fingers and caught sight of the waitress. The girl's deep concerned chocolate brown doe eyes and smooth face caused her to look away quickly. "One black coffee." The young waitress nodded her head solemnly and quickly jotted the order onto her blue notepad.  
  
"For here or to go?" She moved her eyes from the girl and then back down to her ring finger. "For here...and hey, could you make that two cups?"  
  
"Sure thing," The young waitress muttered as she nodded again, scribbled it down and then rushed away to gather other patrons orders. She stared after the girl for a minute and then with a lightly mumbled, "Thanks," she turned back to her golden band. She carefully examined the light etchings, so light that if she had not know they were there, she would have never seen them. She sighed and rose from her seat hurriedly.  
  
She carefully moved towards the bathrooms and stopped right in front of the blue boxed payphone. With fumbling and slightly shaking hands she reached into her jacket pocket and grasped two coins. She slowly inserted them into the tiny slots. Tired and still stiff fingers touched down the cold metal buttons and she held the receiver to her ear to listen to the soft ringing.  
  
"Hi, we're not..." She heard the beginning of the answering machine, her voice stopping abruptly to giggle and shout light-hearted battering words echoing in the background. "Okay, sorry, we're not here right now..." More giggling met her ears with more soft background murmurs. She closed her eyes as she listened for the next part. "Yea, we're not here, leave a message."  
  
His voice was rough and smooth all at once and the underlining frustration seeped into the message. She shivered involuntarily as she recalled the day the two of them sat down to record the answering machine message. It'd been one of the best days of her life. She stopped her trail of thoughts and listened for the soft beep that meant she could leave a message.  
  
"Lex. Lex, pick up the phone. I know you're screening the calls." Her own ragged and muffled breathing met her ears. "Lex, please pick up the phone." She sighed once more when nothing but her own breathing was heard. "Fine. I just called to..I..I'm sitting in the diner around the corner, Lex. I've been here for a little over an hour and I ordered us both coffee. Black, like we like it." She paused and listened intently to hear nothing but her unsettling breathing.  
  
"I ran out of money, this phone call was all I could afford. I um, I guess I should mention that...I miss you, Lex. I miss you a lot." She breathed deep and gathered her inner courage. "Maybe you're sleeping. I know it's real late. You've got work in the mourning too, I remember. I just, Lex God, I miss you so much. I mean, I miss everything about you, from your beautiful eyes to those annoying noises you make in the mourning in the bathroom." She paused once again and let out a shakey, emotion filled shutter.  
  
"Dammit Lex! I'm sorry all right? You're probably the best thing that has ever happened to me. I've never been with anyone like you and I..I just..God, I love you." She let her voice lower with each word and by the end she was barely above a whisper. She swallowed back her tears and sniffled lightly. "I have to go now, the money's almost run out. I'm going to go and sit down and wait for you until my coffee gets here."  
  
She placed the receiver back onto the hook and with trembling steps moved back into her booth. The waitress appeared about 10 minutes later and set the two steaming coffee cups onto the table with a sad smile sent her way. She ignored the young waitress's pity and stared into the two cups of seemingly never ending black. The nice gray steam rose from the cups and the motion and scent intoxicated her senses.   
  
Her eyes moved from the two cups of cooling coffee and looked to her hand where the beautiful, engraved, gold band rested on the table flatly. Her eyes drifted closed and she brought her ringed hand to her chest in a soft cradle. A solitary tear rolled from the corner of her eyes down her cheek to pool in the corner of her mouth.  
  
"I'm sorry too." Her eyes jolted open at the quiet whisper. She looked forward and saw his lean, bald figure resting against the booth on the opposing side from her. His usually glass cold eyes held regret and pain and she was taken aback at out beautiful he looked in that moment.  
  
"Don't cry over me," He whispered lowly. "I don't deserve your tears..." He lifted his lean fingers to her face and brushed them along her lips softly. "Or your kisses." His gently hands rested beneath her chin and he gazed lovingly into her face. "I love you too."  
  
She stared open mouthed at him for a moment before clasping her mouth shut and stroking her face along his fingers. He grinned lightly at her and she looked from his face down to where the now cold cups of coffee sat, the steam gone and she closed her eyes again before speaking.   
  
"Thank you, Lex." She whispered and warm lips caressed over hers delicately. She smiled against their embrace. He pulled back from her and his hands clasped around her own hands, his finger idly rubbing against the golden band on her ring finger. He looked from their attached hands and into her eyes. "Only for you, Chloe. Only for you."  
  
  
  
The End. 


End file.
